In his gloomy homeroom on Saturday morning, the student is too exhausted to care about his missing assignment, no matter how much it counts towards his grade: he just wants to sleep on the day that was once a weekend. People in the United States have been saying that their schools do not have test scores as high as those in other countries. Consequently, the Hillsborough school district is debating whether or not to convert their calendar into six-day school weeks. Some people believe that-with an extended school week-students will have more comprehensive exposure to certain subjects, thereby allowing them to learn more. Nevertheless, absolutely no student should have to go to school on Saturday mornings. Students should not have …show more content…
David A. Farbman explains this in The Case for Improving and Expanding Time in School. He states, “An individual simply cannot advance in any given area of study without committing a certain amount of time to grasping new content, practicing and honing skills, and then harnessing knowledge and skills to realize specific aims. Think of the chess master who plays match after match to improve his game or the scientist who toils long hours in her laboratory to unlock the mysteries of an intricate phenomenon. For them, becoming more adept in their chosen field results, in no small part, from the time they invest”(Farbman Paragraph 1). In other words a person must spend more time in a field of study they wish to succeed in, in order to eventually get better at it. However, this is not true due to the fact that more time in school will not be beneficial towards children, better time in school will. More time in school will eventually expose children to stress. Students will build up a lack of interest in class due to stress, thereby causing them to miss days of school. This will also cause test grades to drop significantly. All things considered, even if the school’s calendar is extended, it will not have the effect
The report reflected growing concern about how the school calendar relates to students at risk for academic failure” (Cooper, Nye, Charlton, James, & Greathouse). As a result. many are fighting for year-round school. Year-round school has proven to be beneficial in the lives of students and has lead to greater success in the classroom. Although, there has shown some downfalls to year-round schooling.
Students now have the opportunity to work another day to save for their future. The four-day school week also provides much more time for these children to spend and enjoy time with friends, and family, as well as enjoying extracurricular activities. There is a lovely environment for the children at the school and an extra day for the instructors to gain knowledge and a better understanding of their curriculum. The schools will be saving a varying amount of money that could be used in case of an emergency with money of any kind. Whether it is an emergency funding program, or money to fund an extracurricular activity. In conclusion, the four-day school week has proven itself to be a very effective form of education that Colby Public Schools most certainly should switch to within the coming
Students may need to nap to compensate for energy expended throughout the day. However, if schools were to start later, adolescents would not have to nap, allowing for a larger window of time to spend with their families after school, even with a later start time. Another opposing argument is that students would have less time to participate in extracurricular activities. However, this issue can be resolved by making practices for sports and club meetings shorter and more frequent to accommodate the schedule variation. Overall, the benefits of later start times far outweigh the drawbacks.
Also, students will be up later finishing homework and socializing on their phones with friends. Although schools will now have been adjusted to fit with students sleep cycles, that does not mean that the students will actually get more sleep. Also, people do not think of the consequences such as conflicts with transportation.
Family vacations, pool memberships, and corn de-tasseling; these have been the experiences of traditional Midwestern summers. For centuries young American children have attended school during the winter months, during farming off seasons when their families could afford to be without them. Families have grown accustomed to a traditional school calendar that provides time for bonding throughout the year. Students have grown accustomed to an eight week break during the summer months where they are allowed to refresh their minds before returning for a new school year. Unfortunately, these traditional experiences and practices are now in jeopardy. In today’s race to improve student achievement, traditional school calendars have become a point of contention. Today more and more school districts and parents alike have begun to debate the pros and cons of an alternative school calendar.
Another benefit of later school start times is health benefits for the students. Because of the hormonal
School can be known as a dreadful reality of everyday life for a countless number of people. Students and teachers all over the country are constantly looking forward to the next day off of school. Often times students find every excuse to miss school, even if it’s just for a couple of hours. Having to go to school five days in a row with only a two day break is a lot to handle for most people. Many schools are converting from a five-day school week to a four-day school week for many different reasons. Colby Public Schools needs to implement a four day school week because it helps lower the stress levels of students and teachers, improves overall attendance, and saves excess amounts of money.
Imagine students becoming stressed with the abundant amount of homework they have to accomplish, complaining about the lack of time and fun enjoyable tasks they have to leave out. Currently, District 211 has a five day school week but having a four day school week eradicates these problems, which could have a positive mental and physical effect. Currently, the four day school week is being used in more than 120 school districts across the country, in states including including New Hampshire, Colorado, and New Mexico. Use of the four day school week also extends to several provinces in Canada, France, and Britain. Considering the amount of districts that are executing a four day school week it is most reasonable to assume that they have significant
Students around the Nation have always pleaded to have no school on Fridays. In fact, for many schools around the nation, school on Friday has already been abolished. This letter is of regards to those who believe (and have not received) that school on Friday should be terminated! Students who go to school - whether it be elementary, middle, or high school - have always wanted less school. I, along with the rest, do believe that decreasing school days would be very beneficial for students as well as teachers.
Students test scores are slipping because of 4-day school weeks.I believe we shouldn’t have a 4-day school week because studies have shown that schools with 4-day school weeks test scores have declined in 2012 and even more in 2013.Teachers from every school with 4-day school weeks say that kids don’t pay attention because they add 30 minutes to each class time during the 4-day school week.Courtney Fisher is a second grade teacher.She says that the students seem tired all the time and eat much more in class.
Most schools which operate year round have adopted the balanced or 45/15 calendar, which switches between nine weeks of school and three week breaks. Other schools use the similarly structured 60/20 or 90/30 calendars which simply lengthen both the learning periods and vacations(Chittom 2). As simple as each plan seems, none preserves the mental health of students. “It only takes about 3 weeks for stress to start creating more lasting problem such as depression and decreased motivation in teenagers,” notes Dr. Sofia Jalilie, a pediatrician in the Bay Area, during an interview. Because of rigorous academic expectations, along with pressure for grades, choosing colleges and a future career, the high school environment can be considered stressful. As shown by three popular systems, year round calendars give students a resting opportunity only, at minimum, after six weeks, which, from Dr. Jalilie's words, is enough time for the students’ brains to be damaged. This effect on students reveals a disadvantage of the year round system because in high schools, mental health and student stress are already large concerns. Meanwhile, supporters of year round calendars claim that they aid students by preventing summer learning loss, the popular theory that students forget most of the information learned in the prior school year during summer break(Von Drehle). Those who believe in the term link no summer to better academic performance. However, in a comparison of test scores throughout North Carolina, a school with diversity in its school calendars, "achievement scores were no greater among students from year-round schools as students from traditional schools"(Chittom 4). Standardized tests are considered one of the best ways to compare students. The year round schools' failure to be superior shows summer learning loss to be inaccurate and demonstrates that making students attend
Educational debates are a widespread in today’s society. Currently, one of the largest debates in education is the debate of whether schools should stay with the traditional school calendar or change to a year-round calendar. The main focus of the debate is centered around the idea that using the year-round calendar will provide kids with a more consistent learning schedule, which in turn creates better grades within the school and cuts back on summer learning loss. Year-round calendar and traditional calendar are far different. Traditional school calendar provides ten weeks of summer break and year-round calendar provides a shorter summer break but more frequent breaks throughout the year. The frequent breaks provide families the opportunity to choose what school year would be the best fit for their family and also helps keep children motivated in school. With the information given many believe the year-round calendar will provide a better education by preventing summer learning loss, create a better calendar to fit certain lifestyles, and promote more motivation in school.
There are many opinions and studies about reforming school days. Some people are concerned that longer school days would bring more difficulties. However, there are numerous studies and practical examples that prove that we improve students’ performance by lengthening school days. Finally, the economy and our society will benefit from expanding school days.
School should be four days a week with an extra hour added to each school day because it would save money for the school system, increase student motivation, stimulate the economy, and promote student achievement. There has been a decrease in education due to the small amount of resources, causing classrooms to be bigger and children not being able to extend their knowledge. Even though the economy has been falling, each school district has been working hard to promote student education, which could mean trading a traditional school schedule for a four-day school week. Replacing a normal school schedule for the four day school week can raise the school budget tremendously. (Hart, Demand Media).
"Should Schools Start Later in the Day?" Current Events, a Weekly Reader publication 30 Apr. 1999: 3. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 17 Mar. 2012.